Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fisheries topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee approves higher trout stamp to fund hatchery renovations
Summary
SB486 would raise the special trout-stamp fee (up to $10) to generate funds for hatchery renovations; Game & Fish officials said the Mammoth Springs hatchery needs about $4.5M–$5M in work and the fee change could yield roughly $1M in new revenue.
Senator Evans told the committee that trout fishing is a major tourism driver for Arkansas and introduced SB486 to increase the trout-stamp fee not to exceed $10 annually to support hatchery renovations and maintenance. He said the White River and Spring River fisheries draw anglers and support local economies.
A Game & Fish representative described a key hatchery, Mammoth Springs, as "well beyond its life expectancy" and said renovation needs total about $4.5 million to $5 million to restore full production; the representative said at current projections the fee increase would generate about $1 million in additional funds. Senators asked how often and where hatcheries would be renovated and whether lifetime licenses would be affected; sponsor and agency witnesses said the measure applies only to the trout stamp and does not change fishing-license structure.
The committee held brief questions and then approved SB486 on a voice vote.
